Air exchange system with multiple air blowers or fans to produce a cyclone-like air flow

ABSTRACT

An air exchange system places the air pumps or fans outside of the main air outflow pathway through a device, such as a range hood. By using this configuration, the system is made safe, easy to maintain with less noise and may even increase the efficiency of the air pump by not subjecting it to debris, particles or turbulence in the air flow, also flexible to add more pumps with significant increase the size of the air exchange system. Air pumps can be operably connected to push air into two or more air reservoirs. Each air reservoir has a narrow air outlet slit along with a Coanda design. When air comes out of the narrow air outlet, it has high speed and generates a negative pressure due to the Bernoulli effect. Such negative pressure will bring more air around into the air flow system, thus causing a desired air exchange.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisionalapplication No. 61/679,525, filed Aug. 3, 2012, the contents of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to air exchange systems and, moreparticularly, to an air flow system with multiple air blowers that aredisposed outside of the air flow.

In traditional air exchange systems, such as a range hood, the fans orair blowers are in the middle of the air outflow duct. The obstacle fromthe fans or air blowers can cause air flow turbulence, thus decreasingthe air flow efficiency. Moreover, the fans or air blowers in the airflow can generate significant noise due to the disturbance which thereis hard to muffle. These systems are also difficult and unsafe tomaintain. Over time, the dirt or grease from the air flow, especially inthe case of a range hood, could accumulate on the fans or air blowers,decreasing the motor's performance. Clean-up of these deposits on themotors can be difficult and time consuming. Furthermore, it has toincrease the size of the range hood or other similar air exchange systemif more air blowers or fans needed for one air outflow duct.

As can be seen, there is a need for an improved air flow system wherethe fans or air blowers are moved to outside of the air outflow duct,reducing noise, simplifying maintenance, improving efficiency,increasing the power output without size change and making cleaning ofthe system easier.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, an air flow system comprises oneor more air pumps supplying air flow to at least two air reservoirs; anair slit providing air outflow from the at least two air reservoirs intoan air flow path through the air flow system; and a Coanda surfacedisposed along an interior surface of the at least two air reservoirs,wherein the outflow from the at least two air reservoirs pulls air intothe air flow system due to the Bernoulli effect, and there are no airfans or blowers disposed in the air outflow path through the air flowsystem.

In another one aspect of the present invention, an air flow systemcomprises one or more air pumps supplying air flow to at least two airreservoirs; an air slit providing air outflow from the at least two airreservoirs into an air flow path through the air flow system; a Coandasurface disposed along an interior surface of the at least two airreservoirs; and a spiral exhaust tube operable to create a cyclonic airflow exiting the air flow system, wherein the outflow from the at leasttwo air reservoirs pulls air into the air flow system due to theBernoulli effect; there are no air fans or blowers disposed in the airflow path through the air flow system; and air passing through the airreservoirs is turned greater than 90 degrees prior to exiting the airslit.

In another one aspect of the present invention, an air flow systemcomprises more structural modifications to produce cyclonic air outflow;multiple air flow deflectors along the air outflow duct; a spiralexhaust tube operable to create a cyclonic air outflow; spiral airoutflow slits from each air reservoirs; or tangential air flow from airoutflow slits from air reservoirs.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an air flow system according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the air flow system of FIG. 1showing an air pump attached thereto;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the air flow system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an air flow system according toanother exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a cross sectional view of an air flow system according toanother exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4B is a top view of a shim used in the air flow system of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4C-4C of FIG. 4B;

FIG. 4D is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4D-4D of FIG. 4B;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an air flow system having a singleinlet according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an air flow system having adisc-like design according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an air flow system having a spiralair outlet according to another exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a side view of an air flow system according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a detail view of the air flow system of FIG. 8, showing afirst air outlet with Coanda surface according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a detail view of the air flow system of FIG. 8, showing asecond air outlet with Coanda surface according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a detail view of an air deflector plate used in the air flowsystem of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides an air exchangesystem that places the air pumps or fans outside of the main air flowpathway through a device, such as a range hood. By using thisconfiguration, the system is made safe, easy to maintain with less noiseand may even increase the efficiency of the air pump by not subjectingit to debris, particles or air turbulence in the air flow. Air pumps canbe operably connected to push air into two or more air reservoirs. Eachair reservoir has a narrow air outlet slit along the surface with aCoanda design. When air comes out of the narrow air outlet, it has highspeed and generates a negative pressure due to the Bernoulli effect.Such negative pressure will bring more air around into the air flowsystem, thus causing a desired air exchange.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, an air flow system 10 can permit a flow12 of air therethrough. One or more air pumps 32 can deliver an air flow44 through an air pipe 34 to deliver a first air flow 16 to a first airreservoir 30 and a second air flow 18 to a second air reservoir 24. Theair can pass over coanda surfaces 14 and exit the reservoirs 30, 24 ashigh velocity air flow 20 through air outlet slits 42. The outlet slits42 can be from about 0.01 mm to about 1.5 mm in width, depending on thespecific application. This flow 20 draws air flow 12 into an airexchange pathway 26 of the air flow system 10 and drives an air outflow22.

As shown in FIG. 3, air flow deflectors 36 can be disposed the airexchange pathway 26. The air flow deflectors 36 can provide atornado-like air flow 38 exiting the air flow system 10.

Referring to FIGS. 4A through 4D, one or more shim rings 40 can bedisposed in the air flow system 10. The shim rings 40 can be can bedisposed to direct the high velocity air flow 20 out of the airreservoirs 30, 24. The shim rings 40 can include a plurality of shimteeth that direct the high velocity air flow 20. A tornado-like air flow38 can exit the air flow system 10 through the use of the shim rings 40.

Referring to FIG. 5, a single air pump (now shown) can feed both airreservoirs 30, 24. As shown in FIG. 6, multiple air pumps 32 can bedisposed to provide air flow to the air reservoir 30.

Referring to FIG. 7, the high velocity air flow may be provided into theair exchange pathway 26 at different points about its radius. Thisdesign can provide a tornado-like air flow 38 out of the air flow system10.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 through 12, an air flow system 10 has one ormore air pumps 32 delivering air to the at least two air injection ports24, 30. The air pumps 32 can be two or more air pumps to fit into eachair reservoir 24, 30, or a single pump (as shown in FIG. 8) withmultiple air outlets to connect to each air reservoir 24, 30. In someembodiments, the air pumps 32 can be located proximate to each airreservoir 24, 30, for example, adjacent thereto. In other embodiments,an external air pump 32 can be located away from each air reservoir 24,30 (as shown in FIG. 8). For example, the air pumps 32 can be in aseparate location and deliver air to the air reservoirs 24, 30 throughan air supply tube (not shown).

The air injection ports 24, 30 deliver air flow at a high velocity todrive flowing air 12 through air intake baffles 15 due to the Bernoullieffect. A spiral exhaust tube 56 can generate a cyclone-like air flow.When the air flow 12 goes through the spiral exhaust tube 56, the airflow 12 can quickly spiral forward into the air drainage tube oroutside, for example, through the cyclonic air ejection port 17 as acyclone/tornado-like air flow 38.

FIG. 2 shows the air flow system 10 where there the air slits 42 deliverair into the air flow 12.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a detail cross-sectional view of the air reservoirs30, 24, respectively. An end of the inner portion of the air reservoirs30, 24 may present a coanda structure 35 disposed passed a curved point33. The second air reservoir 24 may have one or more air deflectorplates 19 to separate the air reservoirs 24, 30 from each other. Thesize and shape of the air reservoirs 24, 30 can be designed to controlthe speed and volume of the air flow to optimize the aerodynamicperformance of the system.

The air pump(s) 32 blow air into the air reservoirs 24, 30 and the airis forced out of the air slit 42 at a high velocity. According toBernoulli's effect on the Coanda surface, the high speed air flow willblow along the surface to generate negative air pressure along thesurface. The negative pressure can induce more surrounding air flow intothe air flow system, thus more air exchange may be produced.

Sensors (not shown) and an electronic control (not shown) can be used tocontrol the air pumps to increase or decrease the air flow of thesystem, as needed for a particular application.

The system of the present invention can be used for various applicationswhere air flow is desired. The system of the present invention may beparticularly useful in, for example, range hoods, where the air flow maycontain particulates and/or grease that could damage or reduce theefficiency of conventional fans disposed within the air flow. The systemof the present invention may also be used in air cleaning applications,HVAC applications, as a smoke cleaner, in a fume hood (such as a tissueculture hood), to create a laminar air flow for a hospital or specialbiologic area, and the like.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An air flow system comprising: one or more airpumps supplying air flow to at least two air reservoirs; an air slitproviding air outflow from the at least two air reservoirs into an airflow path through the air flow system; and a Coanda surface disposedalong an interior surface of the at least two air reservoirs, whereinthe outflow from the at least two air reservoirs pulls air into the airflow system due to the Bernoulli effect, and there are no air fans orblowers disposed in the air flow path through the air flow system. 2.The air flow system of claim 1, wherein the air fans or blowers aredisposed proximate to the at least two reservoirs.
 3. The air flowsystem of claim 1, wherein the air fans or blowers are disposed awayfrom the at least two reservoirs.
 4. The air flow system of claim 1,further comprising one or more deflector plates providing direction ofair flow or multiple air reservoirs.
 5. The air flow system of claim 1,wherein air passing through the air reservoirs is turned equal orgreater than 90 degrees prior to exiting the air slit.
 6. The air flowsystem of claim 1, further comprising a structural modification operableto create a cyclonic air flow exiting the air flow system.
 7. The airflow system of claim 6, wherein the structural modification is spiralexhaust tube.
 8. The air flow system of claim 1, further comprising astructural modification operable to create a tornadic air flow exitingthe air flow system.
 9. The air flow system of claim 1, furthercomprising an air valve adapted to control the flow of air into the airreservoirs.
 10. The air flow system of claim 1, wherein the air slit isfrom about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm wide.
 11. An air flow systemcomprising: one or more air pumps supplying air flow to at least two airreservoirs; an air slit providing air outflow from the at least two airreservoirs into an air flow path through the air flow system; a Coandasurface disposed along an interior surface of the at least two airreservoirs; and a spiral exhaust tube operable to create a cyclonic airflow exiting the air flow system, wherein the outflow from the at leasttwo air reservoirs pulls air into the air flow system due to theBernoulli effect; there are no air fans or blowers disposed in the airflow path through the air flow system; and air passing through the airreservoirs is turned equal or greater than 90 degrees prior to exitingthe air slit.
 12. The air flow system of claim 11, further comprisingone or more deflector plates providing the direction of air flow ormultiple air reservoirs.
 13. The air flow system of claim 11, furthercomprising an air valve adapted to control the flow of air into the airreservoirs.
 14. The air flow system of claim 11, wherein the air slit isfrom about 0.1 mm to about 1.5 mm wide.